AppleScript in a Nutshell

Chapter 12. Keychain Scripting and Apple Verifier

Mac OS 9 ships with a number of applications and files that help users protect their files, folders, and passwords from intruders. Apple Computer groups these technologies under the Apple Data Security umbrella term. These software tools include:

• The Apple Verifier program, which verifies files that have been digitally signed

• Apple File Signer software for applying digital signatures to files (this is only available in the Security Software Developers Kit)

• Apple File Security, which you can use to encrypt and decrypt files

• The Keychain Access control panel and Keychain Scripting, which involve the storage of passwords in a secure repository or database called a keychain file

• Several extension files in the startup disk:System Folder:Extensions folder, including Security Cert Module, Security Library, Security Manager, Security Policy Module, Security Storage Module

Look in the startup disk:Applications:Security folder and you will find the Apple File Security and Apple Verifier programs. Apple File Security allows you to encrypt and decrypt files using a passphrase of five or more characters that you create. You must remember this password unless you have used Keychain Access with the file encryption, which is explained later in this chapter. Encryption mathematically scrambles the file data into a hodge-podge of nonsensical ASCII characters that look like Example 12-1, which is part of this paragraph after it was encrypted. ...